Monday, August 1, 2016

Jefferson County Senior Who Had 5,288 Child Porn Pics Pleads Guilty

A Jefferson County man pleaded guilty to child pornography charges after investigators discovered over 5,200 illicit images on his computer.

A 73-year-old Jefferson County man is headed to federal prison after investigators caught him with a computer full of child porn, including some he'd made himself.

James Bowen, who was arrested partially through the work of the St. Louis County Police Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, had a stash of 5,288 illicit images and 810 videos, saved under sickening file names, such as "9yo chelsea.mp4" and "vintageincest."

Bowen, who lived about 30 miles south of St. Louis in Pevely, also took 30 to 40 sexual pictures of a young girl from his town while she was in various states of undress, authorities say. The girl, identified only by her initials in court papers, was younger than 12 years old.

The creepy senior citizen reportedly tried to end his life shortly after his arrest in February. Bowen broke his glasses and used them in an attempt to sever an artery, police told the Jefferson County Leader in March. He was moved to a federal holding cell in St. Louis shortly after.

Bowen pleaded guilty on Friday to felonies of production, receipt and possession of child pornography. The top charge carries a penalty of 15 to 30 years in prison. He's due to be sentenced on October 26.

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